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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

"In" or "To" where are you?

So here's the situation. We get invited to a birthday party at our friends house. We know he has a swimming pool so we are stoked about going. We get there and you instantly yell, "Cannon Ball" and jump right in. Me, on the other hand, decided to walk around and check out the scene first. So it turns out, by the end of the party, I never even made it into the pool. It could be said that you went "in" the pool, and went "to" the pool. Was I at the pool? YES! Was I around the pool? YES! Was I "in" the pool? NO! That means I can go "to" the pool without being "in" the pool?YES!

When we are outside of Christ we are dead "in" sin. That is what our main text above says. Paul is using past tense in theses verses because this letter is clearly written to those who are in Christ. Eph1:1 Can you find a better proof of depravity than saying "dead in sin?" We must understand dead. They were not dead in the sense that were not breathing, thinking, and walking. They were dead spiritually as a consequence of their sin. Thus, they were dead in sin. We all were, and many still are, at that point. The Bible says we ALL are sinners. Rom 3:23

Remember, Paul is using the past tense here, and in first verse of the book he address them as "in Christ." You must understand today that you CAN NOT be "in Christ" and "dead in sin" at the same time. So which are you? Before we answer that question we must know how to be "in Christ" first.

You see many teach you are "in Christ" when you first believe, when you repeat a man made prayer, or pray at a man made altar at you get heart burn (ahhuuummm, I meant to say a burning sensation in your body). These just are not true. It takes more than belief, or mental assertion, to be in Christ. James says even the demons believe and shudder. Jas 2:19 How many people today believe but do not shudder? It takes more than following a man in prayer. This "Sinner's Prayer" can not even be found in the Bible. Why would we leave something as important as heaven or hell up to something that's not even found in the Bible? Finally, it takes more than praying at an altar. The word altar comes from the root word that means to sacrifice. We have no need for an altar in the New Testament because Christ is our sacrifice. 1Pe 1:18,19

In order to be in Christ one first must hear the true Word of God. Hearing the Word will produce faith in your life. We must have in order to please God. That faith begins to take action and we must repent of our sins. After repenting of our sins we must confess Christ before others. Then, we must have those sins washed away. That happens when we are immersed, or baptized, into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. At that moment is when we are "in Christ." Gal 3:27 Now, we must remain faithful in order to remain in Christ.

Now, back to dead in sin. When we are "in Christ" we are no longer dead in sin, but dead to sin. Remember, dead in sin is a spiritual death. That person that is dead in sin is buried with Christ when they are immersed in their baptism. Rom 6:3,4 After we raise from those waters the person that dead in sin is gone and buried. That is why we are to walk in a newness of life. We are now in Christ and the old sinful person is dead. Now, we are "dead to sin" and we are to separate ourselves from that sin of our past life. Rom 6:1,2

Like the pool party at the beginning. I went to the pool, but not in the pool. Those who are in Christ will no doubt be around sin, but they must not be in sin. The world will take part in many sins, but those in Christ must not.

Today, are you dead in sin or dead to sin? Are you in Christ? If you answered dead to sin and yes, I encourage you gather with the assembly not for yourself, but to stimulate someone else to love. Heb 10:24 If you answered dead in sin and no, why are you waiting. I say to you the same thing that was said Saul of Tarsus before he became Paul the apostle. "Get up, and be baptized..." Acts 22:16